An Analysis of Perfume as a Critique of Religion
Perfume by Patrick Süskind follows Jean-Baptiste Grenouille through an incredible journey of survival, perseverance, and ascension to godlike power. It, being set during the Enlightenment, depicts a time where people let curiosity reign and science flourish. Nevertheless, although people were becoming more scientific in their thought, religion was still a part of people’s lives. The presence of religious elements in the novel, however, serves to be more than just a descriptive tool to flesh out the world of the novel. Because of the biblical parallels that present Grenouille as a messiah-like figure, and also further comments on religion through narration, the reader is often pushed to consider the nature of faith and the faithful. In effect, Süskind uses Grenouille and the world of Perfume to examine and critique the functions and foundations of worshipping a god.
One way the novel does so is by satirizing religion using sexual elements. In all major religions, sexuality is far removed from everything holy. This is especially true for Christian monks like Father Terrier. However, when Jeanne Bussie goes to him to give Grenouille back, he breathes in “the scent of milk and cheesy wool exuded by the wet nurse” (8) and finds it a “pleasant aroma” (8). Church representatives have pledged abstinence and are essentially the prime exemplar of sexual neutrality and purity, yet Father Terrier inhales the wet nurse’s scent– an act
In modern times, feminism and the yearning to become more than a traditional “housewife” have been topics of fierce discussion; however, often neglected is the fact that men, too, are expected to fulfill a role in society. In Michel Marc Bouchard’s Lilies, the characters are heavily influenced by the Catholic, Quebecois society of Roberval, which promotes heteronormativity and a certain masculine mold, resulting in tense relationships with oneself and with others. This can be seen as Simon struggles internally with who he is while Bilodeau and Timothee express discontent in the increasing visibility of homosexuality and the breakdown of the masculine “norms.” Although this play takes place in the early 20th century, the advocacy of what a man should be according to Catholicism, which often leads to homophobia, still prevails heavily today, as seen in Katherine Dugan’s “Gendering Prayer: Millennial-generation Catholics and the Embodiment of Feminine Genius and Authentic Masculinity” and in Wayne Martino’s “Policing Masculinities: Investigating the Role of Homophobia and Heteronormativity in the Lives of Adolescent School Boys.” These articles show the extent to which the toxic outlook on masculinity is seen in Lilies while providing insight into how the public is expected to adhere to heteronormativity. These struggles perceived in Lilies can also further be analyzed through the works of Roy Brooks-Delphin, Lowell Gallagher et al., and Wolfgang Palaver.
The Romantic appreciation of religion appeared in several of the documents. In Document A, Madame de Stael 3 implied that religion has shaped humanity and given it the means to its present and future improvement. The lightest point and focal point of Document B is the church steeple, and therefore Constable expressed his opinion that faith was the brightest point of a person’s
A novel that’s rich in life lessons, the secular aromas that you take in challenging its rational purpose. “Antonio. Always have the strength to
Throughout the story “Perfume” by Patrick Suskind, Grenouille is presented as an outsider who is a product of both social and moral decay shown through his birth, description of the setting and description of Grenouille’s characteristics.
In the Novel Jitterbug Perfume, many themes and ideas from the Beat Generation can be found. The Beat Generation was a movement developed by young people who rejected conventional society in the late 1950's. The idea of the generation was strictly based on modern Jazz, free sexuality, recreational drugs, and rejecting standard ways. Developing sexuality, depending on drugs and the pursuit in individuality we taken from the Generation and creativity put into the storyline created by Robbins. These themes are found throughout the novel and follow the many character that all play important roles in the novel. The way sexuality, drugs and individuality affected people during the Beat
In the novel Wiseblood, by Flannery O'Connor, one finds an unpleasant, almost antagonistic view of sexuality. The author seems to regard sex as an evil, and harps on this theme throughout the novel. Each sexual incident which occurs in the novel is tainted with grotesquem. Different levels of the darker side of sexuality are exposed, from perversion to flagrant displays of nudity. It serves to give the novel a bit of a moralistic overtone.
A novel playing to Voltaire’s greatest strength, his satirical abilities, on the forefront deals with THE paradox that is the coexistence of evil and God, while simultaneously exposing the derogatory treatment of women in the 18th century.
On average, a woman starts wearing perfume at the age of 12. We can identify two big age categories of women:
In his 1984 novel Jitterbug Perfume, Tom Robbins presents a narrative that rivals the often fantastical tales told in myth. Using classical mythology as a foundation, and, in particular, providing a loose adaptation of The Odyssey by Homer, Robbins updates and modifies characters and concepts in an effort to reinforce the importance of the journey of life and the discovery of self. Like the ancient myth-makers, Robbins commands the reader’s attention with outrageous situations and events while at the same time providing characters that the reader can relate to and learn from.
Charles-Louis Montesquieu lived in 18th century France and became one of the most influential political philosophers due to his influence on the creation of American government. Throughout his lifetime, Montesquieu wrote several books addressing various political topics. One such book, Lettres Persanes, has presented a challenge for many who read it. The language itself is easily understood; however, the true quest has been uncovering the underlying theme unifying the individual letters. The book addresses several issues through the use of satire, with the primary topic being the political corruption in France. While this is definitely part of the partially discovered theme, Montesquieu also addresses the volatile state of religion in France in this work. Pauline Kra, whose career focused on studying both Montesquieu and Voltaire, claims that there is a complex chain of ideas linking each letter. For many historians, such as Pauline Kra and Randolph Runyon, the purpose of delving into Lettres Persanes has been to uncover and solidify the connections through the letters. Few, if any, have examined and attempted to interpret the religious views Montesquieu presents in this novel. Based upon literary evidence, Montesquieu is conveying through the Lettres Persanes that there should be religious tolerance due to the similarities between most religions despite his agnosticism.
In this book, William J. Bernstein truly displays the struggles in trade that got the human race to the point it is at today, something that can easily be taken for granted in modern times. Throughout this book, the author makes the case that trade is a human instinct just as our need for food and shelter, as well as the fact that trade has overall strengthened our global prosperity (Bernstein, 18). Mr. Bernstein accomplishes his goal by getting these points across therefore effectively chronicling the evolution of trade and how it affected the human race. However, the author can at times drag on, in turn making the book a bit dull.
After seeing a post on Facebook at the website Women's Voices for the Earth about Moira's Story: Fragrance & Formaldehyde, I reached out to Moira to ask if we could include her fragrance free salon on our blog page "Scent-Free Professional & Retail Establishments.
Sexuality is part of every culture and is used for many different purposes. Stories we tell create a normalization of the dominant version of sexuality in society. The borders of what sexuality can be are set within the normal. In both the Wicked + the Divine and Ceremony sexuality plays a major role. They are both trying to challenge the constraints that Western society places on sexuality, the role sexuality plays, and the cultural imposing of one version of sexuality on another. Those who have power do not have to obey the limitations placed on sexuality.
There are many different types of monsters that this world has seen, including mythical creatures and mythic humanoids. Their main goal is to either protect or kill which is all done for a reasonable reason, but there is one monster that has murdered innocent people, with the purpose of creating specific scents. In the novel Perfume by Patrick Suskind, the author portrays Grenouille as a monster. Suskind has this character that willingly murders several people for their scent, no matter their age, size, or maturity. He is a monster because he misuses the power of scent to escape worldly problems and attract love. Grenouille has a hatred of humanity that not only affected young girls but the rest of the characters including his
As a German writer, the reason for which Patrick Suskind wrote his critically-acclaimed novel, Perfume, in a French setting, about the French, is questionable. However, candidate answers lie in the setting of the novel itself. Mid-18th century France, which is adjacent to Suskind’s Germany, harboured not only a national, but global revolution of politics, economics, and social norms through the French reforms. This had plentiful influence on all aspects of Prussia since the late 17th century (when Germany was known as Prussia) to the present. This stepping stone to a change in practicality lied in the French Revolution and the change of identity that it instilled upon the populace. An exploration of Grenouille and perfume in Perfume reveals their symbolism of the critical transition from religious prominence, to humanistic considerations, to nihilistic extremes that ensued national and global chaos after the French Revolution to represents its influence on Germany and its constituent populace.